Deadline for completing wellness assessment extended to February 12

Because power outages associated with the recent winter storms may have shortened the time for some employees and their spouses or domestic partners to complete the wellness assessment by Jan. 31, King County has decided to extend the deadline to 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012.

To get started on the wellness assessment, visit www.kchealthyincentives.com.

If you need help logging in to the WebMD Healthy Incentives^SM website, including help retrieving your username and password, please call WebMD before 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 10 at 1-866-584-6813 (include the "1" when calling this number). There will be no support for these requests after 5 p.m. or over the weekend.

To request a paper wellness assessment or obtain your Healthy Incentives^SM ID, contact Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations at 206-684-1556 or kc.benefits@kingcounty.gov before 4 p.m., Friday, Feb. 10. There will be no support for these requests after 4 p.m. or over the weekend.

Because mailings cannot be guaranteed to arrive in time for you to complete and mail your paper wellness assessment to WebMD with a postmark dated no later than Feb. 12, you will need to make arrangements to pick up your wellness assessment at the Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations office on the second floor of The Chinook Building, 401 Fifth Ave., in downtown Seattle.

If you complete the wellness assessment by Feb. 12, you may then go on to complete your individual action plan by June 29, 2012, to earn gold. If you miss the Feb. 12 deadline, you can still earn silver by completing the wellness assessment by June 29.

For more information about the 2012 Healthy Incentives^SM program, visit the County's Healthy Incentives^SM website, www.kingcounty.gov/employees/HealthMatters/HealthyIncentives. If you need help understanding this year’s program, contact Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations at 206-684-1556 or kc.benefits@kingcounty.gov.

Understanding your benefits

As a King County employee, you receive a comprehensive package of health and insurance benefits. You may also set aside pretax dollars into flexible spending accounts to save money on your medical and dependent-care expenses.

Wondering whether your health plan covers a specific condition or procedure? Look it up in your plan booklet, and then contact your plan with follow-up questions. If you need additional help, contact Benefits and Retirement Operations at 206-684-1556 or kc.benefits@kingcounty.gov.

Your retirement

Most King County employees participate in one of several mandatory state retirement plans. However, the county also offers you the opportunity to participate in a voluntary deferred compensation program as a supplement to your state retirement plan and other investments you may have.

Other benefits

• You can take advantage of free financial, legal and counseling services through the Making Life Easier program and the Employee Assistance Program.


• Whether you're a first-time buyer or a current homeowner, the King County Home Ownership Program offers purchasing, selling and refinancing assistance at discounted rates. Classes are available at various tiimes and locations each month. If you have general questions about the program, call Benefits, Payroll and Retirement Operations at 206-684-1556 or email kc.benefits@kingcounty.gov. If you are looking for help with a loan, purchase, sale or refinance, call HomeStreet Bank at 206-628-0207. Or, visit www.homestreet.com/kingco.


• Plus, check out the many other benefits available to you in Other Benefits.